Roach Says Beating Pitbull Cruz Makes P4P Top-10 Material

Lamont Roach says he believes that a victory over Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz tonight will put him in the conversation to be included in the pound-for-pound top 10 list.

Roach believes that a victory over WBC interim light welterweight champion Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) will put him as a “frontrunner” to one of the next “American stars.”

Turki Factor in Play

It’s going to take a lot more than defeating Cruz for Roach (25-1, 10 KOs) to be included in the P4P list unless Turki Alalshikh takes a shine to him and tells his Ring panel to vote him in. If he likes him, anything is possible.

“I want to be one of the best pound-for-pound. So, I think for me going to three consecutive weight classes and performing the way that I’ve performed, I think I can achieve that,” said Lamont Roach to Fight Hub TV.

Rayo Valenzuela Shadow

It’ll look a little strange that Roach is included on the pound-for-pound, but not Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela, who defeated Cruz last year in a 12-round split decision victory on August 3, 2024. He beat Pitbull, and he didn’t put him on any list. Instead, he got fed to Gary Antuanne Russell and promptly lost. That would be a nightmarish match-up for Roach.

“I can at least get people to bring my name up for the P4P conversations that come up. ‘Oh, we might have to consider him cracking the list.’ Not only that. This victory right here [Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz] sets me up for a lot of opportunities,” said Roach.

Reality Check Ahead

For Roach to have doors open for him to become the next American star, he’ll need to beat the true top guys at 135 and 140, not just ‘Pitbull’ Cruz. Moreover, he can only get so much mileage out of the 12-round draw from last March against Gervonta Davis. Roach has really driven that into the ground, making a big deal out of a draw, making himself sound like a victim in every interview.

Roach needs to beat these fighters to become P4P worthy and a true American star:

Andy Cruz
Gary Antuanne Russell
Abdullah Mason
Keyshawn Davis
Richardson Hitchins
Ernesto Mercado
Floyd Schofield
Subriel Matias
William Zepeda
Hayato Tsutsumi

It’s doubtful that Roach beats any of these fighters. Having seen his fights against Tank Davis, Hector Luis Garcia, and Jamel Herring, he lacks the tools to beat any of those fighters. Roach wants to fight Shakur Stevenson, and he might have a chance against him because he has no power.

Roach Running the Hustle Game

It would be a chess match between two arm punchers. As far as the above list, it’s unlikely that Roach would beat even one of them. You can’t blame him for the hustle, trying to bring himself up like a businessman, but he hasn’t shown the ability to beat these types of fighters.

“Bigger names, champions in this weight class, champions at 135, because I have unfinished business there. Me winning this fight will propel my name to being a bigger name, put me as the front runner as one of the next American stars, and that opens the door for a lot more business,” said Roach.